Post-interview follow up & thank you note

So, the interview is over and you’ve done your best to justify why they should hire you – the decision is now with them. However, you can do one last thing to further improve their impression of you.

A carefully composed ‘Thank you’ message sent straight after your interview can reinforce the positive impression that you hopefully left them with and will keep you in the forefront of the interviewer’s mind when they come to make their decision. Read our top tips for writing a compelling interview follow up to stay ahead of your competition!

1. Time is of the essence
Make sure you send your message within 24 hours of the interview, while you are fresh in their mind and before they make any decisions. Any later shows a lack of urgency and becomes a chasing email.

2. Personalise
Include something personal that the interviewer discussed with you, which you can relate back to eg hobbies or activities of interest to the interviewer or perhaps their company / team plans for the near future.

3. Sell yourself!
Not only is it important to thank the interviewer for their time (after all this is a thank you note!), you should also take the opportunity to subtly remind the interviewer why you would be well suited to the appointment and what you would bring to their company.

4. Make it real
It’s not just about the right skills and experience, but also how well your deliver, so give some thought to what you would expect to achieve for your potential new employer in the first few months. Also touch on what else you would bring to the table and where else you could add value to their business.

5. Short and Sweet
Limit your message to 2-3 short paragraphs, keeping your points highly relevant, compelling and easy to skim-read. Your interviewer and other decision makers in the business are likely to be extremely busy, with little inclination to read long, sprawling prose.

6. What if the job is not right for you?
Send a note anyway! This allows you to explain clearly why this role is not right for you whilst maintaining a positive outlook. Who knows, a better suited role might be available right around the corner or in another part of the business…